Fire and Ice
by Adair Leroux
Summary: When an old acquaintance becomes his secretary, what will Roy Mustang do to earn her respect? When wills cross and opposite alchemical specialties collide, something has to give. Will he let her seek her own path or push her to her old dreams?
1. The First Day

Well, unfortunately this story doesn't have a title yet!!!! Fire and Ice is just a working title... D: Please review and let me know what you think! Is Fire and Ice a decent title for this?  
It's a pairing between Roy Mustang and my original character Ari Leroux who becomes his secretary, and well, you'll see what else happens! ^_^

Please enjoy this first chapter, the second will follow shortly

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and the characters in Fullmetal Alchemist are property of Hiromu Arakawa. Ari Leroux and her deceased older sister (Euda) are my original characters. Ask before using them. ^_^

~The First Day~

"First day," The young woman sighed. "I'll miss being a regular secretary for Major Hughes." Her rather short hair was a golden brown, reminiscent of caramel. Her piercing blue eyes were very pale, almost as if they were the color of a pale winter sky. Though she seemed tall, she was only about 5'6", just above average height for a 21-year-old young woman. Her calm demeanor made her seem older than she was and had gained her the respect of many colleagues at Central Headquarters. Though that calm was a mask, and hid her inner confusion and hesitation about her new position. "I better get used to saluting, and being saluted. As of today I'm a captain… But I've been demoted to Eastern HQ."

As she walked into the new office she was told to report to, the first thing she noticed was the fact that it seemed fairly organized, there were several tables in the middle of the room that were pushed together, and at those tables were her new colleagues. One was tall, with pale hair, another was a short dark haired boy, then there was a carrot top, and then the only two striking members of the team; a choppy blonde with blue eyes, and a blonde haired woman who was cleaning a gun. "I'm not impressed with my new conditions. I'm Captain Ari Leroux, reporting in for my first day. I was transferred to this office from Investigations where I worked under Major Hughes. I hope you will understand and assist me if I am uncertain on how things work here in the east."

To the man in the chair behind the desk staring out the window, the feminine voice was surprisingly melodic; there was a strange pull to it. Turning to face the girl he had arranged to transfer into his office to do most of the work for him, he saw her startling appearance. Neat uniform, but the woman was apparently flat chested, her long legs were hidden by the pants of her uniform, and from what he could tell her graceful figure also seemed hidden. "You must be kidding me. You're the secretary I transferred in here?! But what happened to the Ari Leroux I met before?"

"Oh, you must have seen me while I worked under Hughes, sir. I assume you are the playboy of the State Alchemists, Colonel Roy Mustang, are you not?" Ari asked, a smirk playing on her lips. "If you don't approve of my appearance, I guess I could do something about that tomorrow."

"Well what about wearing a miniskirt?" The choppy blonde suggested with a chuckle earning applause from his fellow officers except the blonde woman who was now piecing together the gun she had been cleaning. "I'm sure Mustang won't mind that."

"Well why don't you wear a miniskirt and see what you think of it?" Was the only retort the choppy blonde had earned for his effort, wasn't it obvious that she wasn't exactly feminine while at work? After slamming her hand on the table in front of the blonde and leaning close to him, she was distracted and slightly entranced by the deep chuckle she heard from Mustang.

"Well, Hughes didn't tell me what spunk his secretary had. Just that she was hard working. The one you're exchanging friendly words with is First Lieutenant, Jean Havoc. The one piecing together the gun is First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. The one eating the sandwich is Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda. The dark-haired one you have completely failed to notice staring at you is Master Sergeant Kain Fuery. The last member of my staff is Warrant Officer Vato Falman." The black haired, onyx-eyed man explained. As he sat there at his large desk he merely grinned at the new woman. He figured she was trying to keep from being noticed as she was new to the eastern region. "I've heard you're talented at alchemy, and I guess from the looks of that ice spreading over that tabletop the rumor is true."

'_What the hell? This guy knew about my alchemy?! No one knew about that except Hughes and a few others back in Central. Unless… Yes, he might be the one that knew Euda.'_ Ari thought before straightening, removing her hand from the table, not having realized she had activated the circle inscribed on the pendant of her bracelet. "Excuse me? How could I be talented at ice alchemy, the only thing I know of such a science is that the basic foundation is equivalent exchange."

'_Interesting, Ari doesn't recognize me as the man that her sister entrusted her safety and well-being to.' _Roy thought with a smirk. "Euda would be disappointed in you." He knew that would strike a nerve with the woman, especially since he was aware of how Ari had nearly attempted a human transmutation after the death of Euda Aldrich but had failed to find the will to activate the circle, instead destroying it and dumping the materials. The thing was he wanted to see the fire that burned in the girl's eyes the first time they met. Roy had been watching Ari from a distance since then, making sure she received the help she needed or sought while in the military academy, also he had asked his old friend, Maes Hughes, to take her on as a secretary during her last few months of training in the academy. Now finally when the time had come to gain a new alchemist on his team besides the famous child prodigy, Edward Elric, he helped Ari get promoted to Captain and transferred to his office. "Let me give you a tour of Eastern HQ, Captain. After that I will let you get settled in the office."

"…Do I have a choice in the matter?" Ari asked sharply, now sure that it was Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, who her late older sister had been friends with. But she was a grown woman, she understood why Euda asked Mustang to protect her when she was still a teenager, but now she was perfectly capable of doing things herself.

"Not exactly," Roy chuckled.

The chuckle didn't affect her this time, for this time Ari was prepared. "I request that Havoc give me a tour instead. Anyone except you, those papers piling up on your desk need to be dealt with and you have no wife or child to return home to so I have no reason to do your work for you."


	2. Alchemy

~Alchemy~

That night, Roy stared at the ceiling of his apartment bedroom, wondering what had caused the gorgeous and charming teenager he knew Ari as originally to become so strict and withdrawn. He had noticed her chatting a few times with Riza about work related items, but hardly ever with anyone except for his friend and subordinate Havoc about anything else. Should he just let her go? Should he chase after her? For what reason did he have this urge to shake his new secretary violently, and tell her to chase after her old dreams and also to stop ignoring him? He wondered if Ari really had given up on her dream of being a state alchemist.

Ari returned to the dorm she was staying in on her own until she found an apartment of her own. After changing out of her uniform and removing the bindings she had used to hide her figure, she pulled on a pair of old pajamas, putting them on she thought about her old dream of becoming a state alchemist, wanting to help people with her ice alchemy. But that had been before the death of her sister and her realization of what horrible people State Alchemists were. The only one that seemed to have a redeeming quality was the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. A child prodigy, having managed to be certified at the age of 12, he worked for the people of Amestris, not the military. That was what she wanted, to be able to make people's lives better with alchemy. "Maybe the colonel is right. Maybe Euda would be disappointed in me…" She wondered out loud. She had never met Fullmetal, but she had a feeling she would soon. That would be the deciding factor whether she really did ask to take the alchemy exam or if she just gave it up completely.

~

The alchemist in question, Edward Elric, was presently in his hometown of Risembool, at no place other than the home of his automail engineer's house. "Winry, how much longer are you going to take?" He asked with slight frustration, knowing he needed to get to East HQ and report in soon.

He had only come to have some maintenance done on his arm and leg as he had grown since the last time he had seen Winry Rockbell. The difference in the length of his legs had thrown him enough off balance that it was starting to annoy him. Which was why he had decided to see Winry for some adjustments before reporting in to the Colonel.

"Geez, Ed! Be a little more patient will you? I'm almost done." Winry called from where she sat, engrossed in working on Ed's automail leg. "You're always in such a rush."

~

Ari sighed as she entered the office the next morning. She had changed little of her overall appearance and had even decided to bring a few of her alchemy books with her to work. She hadn't even realized she grabbed them until she was already most of the way to the office. "Well, I guess I should just admit the truth about being an alchemist. It's what Euda would tell me to do anyways."

The atmosphere in the office was different that day when Ari walked in, instead of looking up and going back to work, there was no one in the large desk. Seeing the empty chair, her heart sank slightly. But she ignored the feeling before giving the gathering staring at her a questioning look. "Um, why is it that I have a feeling there's another office I need to go to?"

"The Colonel wants to see you in his office," Was the resounding response from everyone.

"Oh…Well, I guess I should go then…" Ari laughed slightly nervous. "I think I can find my way." After giving everyone a cheerful smile, she turned and left the office, heading down the hall to the other office she had been in the day before. Knocking on the door before entering, she took a deep breath and looked up, straight into those onyx eyes that had such a dizzying effect on her. "I was told you wanted to see me?" Her words were sharp, to the point, emotionless.

He had noticed the lack of emotion in the woman's voice, and wondered why she always kept her voice so cold towards him. "I did indeed. Why did you give up alchemy, Ari? You were quite talented." Roy asked, hoping to get an answer before he sent the woman off with the orders he had for her. There was only one person that he thought could help his new secretary to get her ambitions back.

"I didn't give up alchemy." Ari admitted, looking away from her commanding officer. "And being a military secretary is just fine! I'm not a lousy attack dog this way. Not like you, Colonel. I'm not so young and naive that I don't know what went on in Ishbal."

"It comes with the territory, Arielle Leroux. Just a small thing like that shouldn't affect your decision." Roy snapped turning his back to the young woman and walking towards his desk. "Your orders are to escort the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric here from Risembool. He's at the Rockbell house, that is to say his automail mechanic's house. I suggest you hurry, Captain."

"…I understand," She answered with slight hesitation before hurrying out of the room, not realizing she had dropped one of her books on the medical properties of alchemy that manipulates water as she rushed to the train station. Ari wondered as she got on the train if she really should have brought up Ishbal with Mustang. She knew it was a touchy subject for many soldiers that had been through it, but why had that man reacted so harshly towards her and thrown her orders at her like he did? Was there something he didn't want to remember, something she stirred up that she shouldn't have?

As his secretary left, Roy sighed heavily, sitting down in the chair behind his desk. "Maybe I shouldn't have snapped at her like that..." That was when he suddenly noticed the book laying on the floor, obviously having been forgotten. Walking over and picking it up, Roy noticed what the topic of the book was about. _'So that's it. She wants to use her alchemy for others, no other reason than that. Always giving, I guess Euda did rub off on her.'_ Staring out the window, he wondered what that girl was thinking now. Did she hate him?

Staring out the train window up at the cloudy sky, Ari found it ironic how it fit her mood. _'Gloomy, just like how I feel. Does he feel some sort of obligation to me?'_ Instead of staying confused, she simply took a deep breath and cleared her mind to deal with the teenager she now had to escort.


	3. Pain

I've decided to keep the title as is XD If you think there is a better one i could use please feel free to review and say so ^^  
It's a pairing between Roy Mustang and my original character Ari Leroux who becomes his secretary, and well, you'll see what else happens! ^_^

Please enjoy this chapter, I'm hoping to have the next chapter (already finished) uploaded soon!

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and the characters in Fullmetal Alchemist are property of Hiromu Arakawa. Ari Leroux and her deceased older sister (Euda) are my original characters. Ask before using them. ^_^

~Pain~

As she got off the train, Ari asked the stationmaster where to find the Rockbell house. Once she had directions, she thanked the man kindly before hurrying along the road. On her way, fortunately, she ran into a short blonde boy and a tall suit of armor. "Oh. Well I guess I'm lucky today, I didn't have to go too far to find you." She sighed with relief, directing her words to the short blonde boy. "I presume you are Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Surprised that someone had actually gotten it right on the first try, Ed looked the unfamiliar woman in the eyes and grinned. "Damn right. And who might you be?"

"I'm Captain Arielle Leroux, Mustang's new secretary." Ari answered, saluting the boy properly as he was of higher rank. "My orders are to escort you to Eastern HQ… Oh and my orders from Major Hughes were to say 'hello'. Now can we go? I have important work to do, and someone has to keep that slacker Colonel to do his own work."

"So you're one of the Colonel's lackeys?" Ed asked with a smirk. "Come on Al, let's get going. We don't need anyone holding us up." And with that he started to walk past the woman rudely.

"Brother!" Al called before quickly apologizing and rushing after his brother.

"Just you wait, Fullmetal! It wasn't my idea to come fetch a pair of brats like the two of you. Also, please don't lump me in with the rest of Mustang's subordinates. I have no intention of letting him shove his work on me. I only did Hughes's work because he had a wife and daughter to return home to." Ari protested. Hurrying after the pair she suddenly heard echoing of Al's footsteps, coming from within the armor. "…Hollow armor? Please tell me you didn't…"

"…Yeah." Ed sighed not meeting the woman's shocked gaze. He simply stood there, before looking back at Ari.

"I'm most likely not as experienced with alchemy as you are, but even I know that's forbidden… What were you thinking?!" Ari asked sharply, before sighing and running a hand through her hair as she remembered a time from her past that only Mustang knew about, and a second time that only she knew of. "They must have been extremely special for you to take such a risk."

Al looked to the ground before looking at the young woman who had come to escort them. "We just wanted…to see Mom's smile." He explained sorrowfully.

"We don't have to tell you anything." Ed snapped.

"No, you don't. But I'd like you to know, I nearly attempted the same thing. To bring back someone I cared about and just wanted to see happy and there for me. I didn't go through with it, when it came down to it." Ari admitted to the pair, her tone full of guilt at how foolish she had nearly been. "There. We're even. You keep my secret and I'll keep yours. Now let's get going before the train leaves. Like I said, I have more important things to do." Walking past the brothers, Ari continued to head to the train station, but turned around when she heard a laugh.

"You're going to trust me with that? Feeling guilty for almost trying to bring someone back? Pathetic," Ed stated with a smirk. "I could just as easily report you to Mustang. Or any of the other higher ups."

"The Colonel is already aware of it." Ari stated simply. "Besides, I could always tell the military about what you pulled." She turned to face Ed, glaring at the teenager fiercely. "Why don't we call it an equivalent exchange between alchemists?"

"…Yeah," Ed answered with a smirk. "An equivalent exchange."

"Now can we get going?" Ari asked impatiently. "I'm sure you don't want to be stuck waiting for the train, so if we hurry we can make the train to East City."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Captain." Ed sighed following the woman as she turned on heel and headed towards the train station.


	4. Memories

I've decided to keep the title as is XD If you think there is a better one i could use please feel free to review and say so ^^  
It's a pairing between Roy Mustang and my original character Ari Leroux who becomes his secretary, and well, you'll see what else happens! ^_^

Longest chapter yet! Please enjoy, there's one more chapter yet to come! :3

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and the characters in Fullmetal Alchemist are property of Hiromu Arakawa. Ari Leroux and her deceased older sister (Euda) are my original characters. Ask before using them. ^_^

~Memories~

Once they boarded the train, Ari found herself quietly staring out the window. _'I wonder what he's doing… Is he working on that pile of papers on his desk? Maybe he's just napping at his desk? I've heard he does that.'_ Suddenly Roy's kind and sympathetic smile he had shown Ari who was in tears at the funeral for her sister, Euda. At that time, it had been the most charming thing she had ever seen, and it had cheered her up enough to stop crying. _'Why doesn't he show that smile to anyone? Has he really changed?'_

With a rough jerk, Ari was pulled from her thoughts as the train pulled into the station in East City. "Well, I guess we should head to HQ." She stated stretching as she stood. "Things were so much less complicated back in Central when I was in Investigations."

"Investigations?" Al asked suddenly. "But isn't that where Major Hughes works?"

"Hm? Yeah, I was Hughes's secretary originally. That's why when my promotion and transfer were official, Hughes told me to say hello to you both when I saw you." Ari explained with a sincere smile. "I did most of his work for him, really, just so that he could go home in time to see Gracia and Elycia."

----------

Once they arrived at the office, Ari politely said goodbye to Ed and Al and headed in to the office she was normally in to get to work on the paperwork she had a feeling would be waiting for her. "I'll just work late to get it done…" She sighed before looking up just in time to stop from walking right into Havoc. "Oh! I'm sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Nah, it's fine, Captain." Havoc laughed. "I wasn't really watching where I was going either. But since you're back, I was wondering, maybe you'd like a tour around town? I can show you the best places to eat if you'd like."

"Oh, thanks for the kind thought, but maybe some other time. I really haven't done much of the work I need to do today so I'm going to be here a while." Ari explained with a sincere smile.

"You're sure? I can stay a bit longer if you'd like some help." Havoc offered.  
"I'm sure. I'm used to late nights; I pulled them all the time back in Central!" Ari insisted before sitting down at the table where there was a large stack of papers waiting for her to sort and file and fill out.

As time passed, eventually Ari fell asleep, even though she hadn't meant to, in the office and had started to dream about the days following her sister's death. Unknowingly, shortly after she had fallen asleep, Mustang had entered the office. And unfortunately he was to hear what she hadn't meant to say to anyone. "Euda…I…I swore I'd bring you back…but I just can't do it." She murmured painfully. "I can't do it..."

Roy had been about to gently wake his secretary when she had confessed to something he hadn't known about. He had been part of the reason Ari and her sister, Euda, had failed to find the will to activate the transmutation circle when Euda miscarried and they had planned to bring the child back, but Ari hadn't told him about her plan to bring Euda back. Standing there, shocked, he simply stared at her, confused about what he should do.

That was when a large clap of thunder could be heard and Ari was jolted awake. Standing suddenly, her chair clattering to the floor, she turned to look at the figure that stood not too far from her. "Roy…" She whispered surprised to find him there.

His look of surprise turned to anger as Roy closed the distance between himself and his secretary. Grabbing her by her uniform coat, he glared at her. "What the hell were you thinking?! Keeping that a secret?! Do you know what could have happened to you?" He snapped.

"Wait…What's this all about?! You know about my secret." Ari answered slightly confused before realizing something important, the dream she had been having. _'Did I say something in my sleep?! Did he hear me talking about…?'_

"You talk in your sleep, Captain. How could you betray my trust like that?! You should have told me what you were planning to do! DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES, ARI!?" Roy snapped at her, shaking her fiercely.

"Let go of me! I don't have to tell you everything I do. You're not my caretaker. I'm a grown woman, now let go of me! I'm sorry I disappoint you." Ari demanded fiercely, activating the circle inscribed on her bracelet and forming ice around Roy's hands causing him to release her to prevent any substantial damage from the cold.

"I didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to be disappointed in me." Ari admitted, staggering back a few steps as he released her, taking a deep breath, she hurriedly grabbed her coat and rushed past her commanding officer and out the door, barely managing to hide the tears that now threatened to overflow.

Having returned to the office to check on how Ari was doing, Havoc stopped in his tracks as he saw the woman rush out of the office in tears. Unfortunately, before he could say anything, she ran right into him. "Captain, what's wrong?" He asked, worried that something had happened.

"Can we go somewhere else? I really want to get out of here. Please?" Ari asked quietly, looking up into the worried face of her co-worker.

"Okay, well, you're staying in the dorms, right? I could walk you there…" Havoc offered not exactly knowing what to do.

"Well, I guess that'd be fine… I just need someone to talk to really." Ari answered, obviously starting to calm down. "I just can't tell you here."

"That bad, huh, something happen between you and the Colonel?" Havoc asked curiously. He had noticed that the two seemed to know each other, but he hadn't asked about the details.

Ari simply nodded in response. "Can we go?"

With a nod, Havoc started to walk with the woman, their destination the dorms.  
Once they were basically the only two people on the street they were walking on, Ari continued to stare at the ground, the rain soaking both officers, but she didn't really care. "I didn't mean for Mustang to find out like that…"

"Find out about what?" Havoc asked suddenly worried about what his co-worker was about to tell him.

"About my near-attempt…to bring my sister back from the dead using human transmutation." Ari answered her voice barely above a whisper.

"That's forbidden, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's the biggest taboo besides making gold; this comes at a greater risk. I know that because I talked to someone that has paid a hefty price for their sin. But I couldn't find the willpower to go through with it. So I dumped the materials and washed away the circle." Looking up at her colleague, Ari expected to see him as furious as Mustang. Only it was quite the contrary. From what she could tell, Havoc wasn't angry with her. "You're…not upset?"

"No. Though I do understand why the Colonel's angry. You two know each other from when you were in the academy right?" Havoc asked.

"Well, yes, but that's not how I met Mustang. I met him because of he was friends with my sister. I must've made some type of impression on him because he often came to help me out while I was still in the academy. He was the one who arranged for Hughes to take me on as a secretary a few months before I graduated." Ari explained with a hint of a smile. "When my sister died, I was still in the academy, and I was devastated by her death. But the Colonel still gave me this smile that made it seem like things would be okay at her funeral. Back then was still a Lieutenant Colonel. Now he's different…or at least he seems to be."

"Maybe you should tell him that." Havoc explained once they reached the dorms. "Well, here we are. Sleep well, Captain."

"Please, call me Arielle, or Ari is fine too." Ari insisted with a smile. "I don't mind it if you call me by my first name."

"Well then, have a good night, Ari." Havoc laughed before turning to leave.

"Thanks for all your help, Havoc." Ari laughed before heading inside. She should tell Roy the truth, she realized that but she'd do so in the morning, giving the man some time to calm down. She'd request to speak to him alone, that way she could tell him everything.


	5. Revelations

~Revelations~

The next morning Ari found it hard to say much of anything except a simple greeting and simple answers to her commanding officer. Avoiding him, she found, was easier than trying to get past her fear of him revealing her secrets; especially now that he knew both secrets.

Once Ari was free to go to lunch, she found that Ed and Al hadn't left yet. "Hello you two," She said with a distant smile. "I thought you two would have left by now. Ed, you've already met with the Colonel to hand in your report and discuss it."

"Yeah, well he said we needed to stick around for a few days." Ed answered with irritation in his voice. "That and he suggested I talk to you about the state alchemy exam."

"I'm not going to take it." Ari interrupted. "I know my knowledge qualifies me to take it, and that my skills are on par with the Colonel's. I'd probably pass, but I don't want to use alchemy to hurt others if war breaks out."

Ed nodded. "I understand and respect that, Captain," He started. "But with the job comes privileges."

"Like unlimited access to the library in Central…? Yes, I'm quite aware of that," Ari sighed. "It's just… I'm afraid. I'm afraid of seeking my old goals. Without my sister encouraging me, I'm afraid to take the risks it involves."

"You don't need encouragement." Ed snapped, as he stood up from the bench they had been sitting on outside. "You know you can do it already so just follow your heart and make your dream a reality! Stop making excuses, Captain, that's no way to get through life."

"Brother!" Al groaned, obviously not surprised by his brother's words. "Can't you be a little more respectful?"

As if she had been slapped, Ari stared at Ed. The outburst from her superior, though he was younger, had taken her by surprise. _'He's right; I do need to stop making excuses.'_ She thought before beginning to laugh. "You're right, Ed. I never thought I'd be scolded by someone like that. Especially not by a teenager," She explained before giving him a smile. "I think I will take the risk. I'll study hard so I can use my alchemy for the good of the people. I know I'll still be a military lapdog, but if I can at least improve the lives of others with my alchemy, I'm sure my sister would have been proud. Don't worry, Al, your brother's disrespectful attitude actually helped me." Standing, Ari nodded a silent thanks to Ed and hurried back towards Mustang's office. "I'm going to go request to take the exam right now! I'll see you around!"

When she arrived, Roy was at his desk, reading Ed's report again. When he heard the door close, Roy looked up to find Ari. "Well, this is certainly a surprise. I thought you would have gone to lunch already."

"I just came from lunch." Ari explained. As it was a rather warm day, she had unbuttoned the coat of her uniform, leaving it open to expose the white button-up blouse she wore beneath it. Dangling in plain sight were a pair of dog tags and a plain golden band that seemed to have snowflakes engraved into the surface. "I came to inform you that you are indebted to Edward Elric, sir, as I have decided to request permission to take the state alchemy exam. I'm ready to accept the risks of becoming a state alchemist."

"…I'm glad you've finally made up your mind." Roy commented standing and staring out the window. "Captain, mind coming here for a second? I'd like to discuss something with you."

Giving more trust than she thought she should, Ari silently walked over to where Roy was standing before realizing what he had just pulled.

Cornering Ari, Roy grasped the object that he had noticed glittering about the woman's neck. Not her dog tags, but the ring. The ring that looked similar to the wedding band that his now deceased friend, Euda, had worn. Why was it about her neck? "Isn't this the same ring that your sister used to wear? What did Ed say that made you change your mind about the exam, Ari?" He questioned, making sure to stay close enough that Ari wouldn't be able to run from him instead of answering his questions. He wanted to know what that ring meant, but he didn't really know why. It had just angered him to see it, he had wanted an explanation.

"Mustang!" Ari gasped, surprised by how easily she had been cut off from even freezing him. If she tried it, she'd be pulling moisture out of the air around herself as well, not just around her commanding officer. "I don't have to tell you anything! Just leave me alone."

"Why not?!" Roy requested sharply, knowing he was both confusing and angering his secretary. "If you don't talk about it sooner or later it's going to become more difficult for you, Ari. You do know that don't you?"

Unfortunately, at that moment Ed came in hoping to ask Roy when he could leave, but he ended up stumbling upon the woman he had just been talking to not too long before and his commanding officer. Noticing how uncomfortable Ari looked, he cleared his throat. "What are you doing, Colonel?! Is this how you treat your secretary?!" He demanded, putting the fact that his commanding officer standing so close to the woman who was the office secretary together to form a conclusion. To emphasize his disgust with Mustang, Ed yanked the taller man back by the collar of his uniform.

Trying hard not to cry from the emotional pain of the topic Roy had brought up, Ari looked to the floor. As Ed had yanked him back, Mustang had yanked hard enough to cause the chain her dog tags and the ring had been on to snap. "You can have Euda's wedding band, for all I care. It's just the symbol of her promise to me... One she didn't keep," She stated quietly. "You don't understand anything. You've changed, _sir_, and not for the better!" And with her final words she rushed out of the office.

Roy sighed running his hand through his dark hair before putting the chain with the dog tags and ring into his pocket. "I'll go get it fixed for her. I shouldn't have acted like that, she probably hates me now."

"Then you deserve it." Ed stated simply. "If Leroux hates you, then you only have yourself to blame. If you corner someone like that anyone could get the wrong idea." It was obvious he was irritated with the way Mustang had treated Ari, who had just rushed out of the room a minute before he spoke.

Al, having noticed Ari rush out of Mustang's office, had figured his brother had said something or done something to upset the woman. Following her as best he could, Al found her in back of one of the buildings that was sparsely used. What he found was Ari sitting on the ground with her knees pulled into her chest, her pale blue eyes that had tears threatening to pour out of them also seemed pained. In reaction to this, Al sat down carefully next to the secretary, trying not to startle her or make her any more uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."

The words startled Ari, who had obviously not noticed the large suit of armor that was seated next to her. "Why?" She asked, unsure of the reason the boy apologized.

"Brother did something, or said something, didn't he?" Al asked, now slightly confused.

"No… The Colonel was the one at fault." Ari laughed, seeming to cheer up slightly. "It was slightly my fault too."

"How was it slightly your fault, Captain?" Al asked curiously.

"Well, first off, you can call me Ari if you want. And to answer your question, it's because of something my sister and I nearly did several years ago. We nearly performed a human transmutation on the child she miscarried." She explained seriously. "The Colonel was friends with my sister, and was part of the reason we couldn't bring ourselves to activate the circle. The second time, though, it was my own cowardice that kept me from trying to bring back my sister after she died. Mustang never knew about it until recently and now he wanted me to talk to him about it. I just sort of freaked when he cornered me."

"…It's a good thing you never activated that circle, Captain. If you had, who knows what might have happened to you. All I know is what happened to me and Brother," The large suit of armor explained seriously.

"We're facing our punishment for attempting to bring our mother back to life, and now we're just trying to find a way to get our bodies back." The shorter boy with blonde hair and golden eyes had spoken up, deciding that that was the right thing to say to let everyone know he had been there long enough to overhear. "It's not worth it to even think of attempting to bring someone back to life."

Ari nodded in agreement. "After finding out what happened to you and Al, Fullmetal, I understand why it's important to continue living, even when someone you love has died."

"I'm glad you understand, Captain." Ed sighed.


	6. Tears

~Tears~

A few months had passed since Captain Ari Leroux, Colonel Roy Mustang's secretary, had discussed her past with the state alchemist that was also under the Flame Colonel's command, alongside that state alchemist's little brother. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and also the older of the two boys, had gone through Ari several times so he wouldn't have to report in as much to the Colonel, and things had become peaceful around Eastern HQ. That was until the call came in about Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes.

"He's….dead?! But what happened? Hughes was always careful about his health and his only annoying habit was bragging about his wife and daughter!" Ari snapped at her commanding officer when he told her the news over the phone. "Hughes…was an honorable man."

"Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes was promoted two ranks in death. His rank is now Brigadier General Maes Hughes, Captain. As you were originally his secretary, I understand if you'd like to take a few days to travel to Central and pay your respects." Roy explained as calmly as he could over the phone.

"You're leaving me uninformed on an important detail, Mustang!" The woman snapped sharply. "What happened to Hughes?!"

"He was murdered." Roy answered, trying not to reveal how angry and hurt he was about the whole ordeal. Hughes had been his friend for many years, and to think that a man like him had been murdered wasn't something he could deal with easily.

"…" Silent at first, Ari sighed heavily, trying not to give away the tears she was battling against. "Murdered? Do you know the details?"

"None, I suggest you head out here soon." Roy stated before hanging up the phone.

With that, Ari slammed down the receiver and stood up from her desk, nearly in tears. "I'm heading to Central. I'll be back in a few days." She stated before leaving the office.

Within that day, Ari had changed into her dress uniform and a pair of heels and set out for Central on the earliest train she could catch. After attending the funeral, Ari had left, only to return the next morning, still in her dress uniform. Standing there, she let her tears silently fall for the man that had given her so much hope for her future, and even let her complain about working under Mustang to him. "A double promotion, sir, but I thought you were supposed to help the Colonel from beneath?" She whispered finally.

"He was supposed to. I guess he told you about that," A deep voice came from behind the young woman. It was Colonel Roy Mustang himself, heading closer to his secretary. "I know you respected and looked up to him. I guess you'll have to do your best when you take the exam so you can do him proud."

"I kind of understand what those boys felt when they tried to bring back their mother." Ari admitted suddenly. "I nearly tried to bring Euda back after she died. The smell of the blood she coughed up though kept popping up and I just couldn't bring myself to activate the circle. I don't even know if my theory would have worked or not."

"Did you ever think that your sister might not have wanted you to bring her back even if it was possible?" Roy asked, hoping to encourage the girl he had been trying to get to open up, to continue talking to him freely.

"I realize that now… But why did Hughes have to die?! What purpose does it serve?" Ari asked tearfully. "Just what Elycia said yesterday…it breaks my heart to know that she'll never get to see her father's smiling face again. She won't ever be hugged by him tightly again. It's just not fair!"

Trying to comfort the grieving woman, Roy wrapped his arms around her. "Everything will turn out fine. We'll investigate and find out who did this. You're going to be involved in keeping it quiet that we'll be looking into what Hughes was looking into." He whispered. "Trust me, Ari. You're the one person I can't afford to lose, so you need to pretend to know nothing whenever you're questioned about Fullmetal or our investigation."

Accepting the gesture, Ari felt strangely safe, and also the grief seemed to lighten as the man she had been trying to avoid getting involved with hugged her. "Roy…" She whispered softly, realizing partially why she had tried to avoid him. She cared deeply for him, but how deeply she wasn't yet sure. But even a simple secretary knew the dangers a state alchemist faced. Anyone who had that type of job was always sent into war, and if war did break out, there was always the risk of those that went out, never returning. Looking up into those onyx eyes that were as pained as her own, Ari made her declaration. "Don't get yourself killed. I won't forgive you."

"I won't, so you can't get yourself killed either. Once you become more of a dog chained to the state than you already are, you'll have to make sure not to get famous like myself and Fullmetal." Roy forewarned calmly, remembering about the time not too long ago where Scar could have killed him if it hadn't been for a quick thinking lieutenant skilled with firearms, he probably would have been killed. "It's easier to avoid death that way."

"And I'll be there on those rainy days where you're as useless as a wet match." Ari agreed. "Rainy days are my favorite, you know. Those are the days I'm of the most use." She gave Roy a smirk before stepping away from him. She had stopped crying, but didn't want to give him a reason to become too close to her yet. "Hughes wouldn't want us to grieve for too long." With that statement, she looked down at the stone that marked the grave of Brigadier General Hughes.

Looking down at the gravestone as well, Roy nodded. "You're right. Let's go." He suggested attempting to put an arm around his secretary.

"Excuse me, _sir_, but I don't think you've earned the right to do that yet." Ari stated making sure to take another step away from Mustang so that he would be unable to put his arm around her. "Besides, I heard a rumor that you should be interested in…"

"What might that be?" Roy asked with a smirk as he began to head towards the gates of the cemetery.

"You're being transferred back here to Central." Ari answered with a slight smile as she followed her commanding officer. "I do hope you'll consider allowing me to return with you."

Knowing full well the "rumor" his secretary spoke about was most likely true, Roy smirked. "I'm going to become Fuhrer President someday, you coming to the top with me would be necessary." He answered. "Skilled secretaries are hard to find nowadays."

"I take that as a compliment, sir." Ari laughed, "To be of better use to you, shall I head back to East City ahead of you and get everyone ready for the transfer?"

"Indeed. That would be for the best." Roy agreed with a slight smile on his face as he walked out of the gates and waited for Ari. "I'm going to be here a little longer with Hawkeye. Take care."

"Yes, I will… I'm confident that you're safe with the Hawk's Eye watching." Ari stated before smiling. "I'll see you back at the office, then." And with that, Ari headed back to her home that she had kept in Central to pack for the trip back to Eastern HQ.


	7. Missing

~Missing~

Ari sighed as she sat down on the train, she still had things to take back to Central and so Mustang had decided to accompany her on their last trip from East City to Central, making the transfer final. "You didn't have to stay behind on my account, sir. I just had last minute paperwork to deliver to another office and a few things to pack up from my apartment." She sighed, looking slightly tired. The day had ended late for her and everyone else had left before them. Only Mustang had stayed behind to accompany Ari to Central.

"Well, when we get there I'll drive you home. It's safer than leaving you to walk home." Roy reasoned. Noticing his secretary attempt to hide a yawn, he sighed giving her a soft smile. "Didn't I tell you to use me as a pillow earlier? I really wouldn't mind."

Looking up at the man sitting across from her, Ari glared. "No way, if I fall asleep you'll do something funny to me." She stated disgustedly.

"Am I really that untrustworthy?" Roy asked exasperatedly.

"Sir, I hate to say this, but you really are known for womanizing," Ari answered honestly. "So isn't it obvious you're that untrustworthy?"

Sighing with irritation, Roy pulled Ari over to his seat before releasing her. "Just lean against me, okay? I won't touch you."

Sighing, Ari conceded defeat and leaned against Roy, soon falling asleep as the man's shoulder became her pillow. And true to his word, Roy didn't touch her once except to keep her from falling at one point as the train began to slow.

A few days later, having arranged to meet an old friend at a bar they specified, Ari sighed. She was still in her uniform, having gone straight to the bar from the office, and wasn't a very welcome sight to some people. "I'm just a secretary, no need to glare at me. I only signed up to assist someone I care about." She sighed, glad to have her pocket watch safely hidden in her pocket, she didn't dare leave the chain out.

And as luck would have it, a certain homunculus was in one of the darker corners, watching the woman. He knew who she really was, the "Ice Alchemist" and secretary to Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. "How lucky we are! She'll definitely know where the Fullmetal is! If anyone knows, it's the person who has become close to the Elric brothers, the secretary to Roy Mustang, Fullmetal's commander." Greed laughed. "She's not bad looking either…" Standing, he walked over to the bar and sat down. "You're the Flame Alchemist's secretary, aren't you "Ice"?"

"Hm? Yes, but I don't believe I told anyone that…" Ari answered, giving the "man" next to her a questioning look. "I don't believe we've met though…"

"Ah, well, I can't exactly tell you my name, but maybe you'd like a drink?" Greed offered.

"Thanks, but I have more work to do still when I get home. Plus, I have someone I'm responsible for. I'm merely supposed to meet an old acquaintance here, but as they haven't shown yet, I guess I can just go home." Ari answered politely, yet her voice was icy.

"Why don't you tell me about your work?" Greed asked nicely.

"Why don't you just leave?" Ari requested.

"Fine, fine; I won't try talking to someone who doesn't want to talk." Greed sighed with a shrug, giving up. That was when he noticed in a dark corner by the door a palm tree headed "friend" of his. "Well, well, it seems someone else is interested in the whereabouts of a certain state alchemist."

Taking out her pocket watch and opening it, Ari sighed seeing the time. "Well she's a no-show, I'm going home." She muttered to herself before leaving, never noticing that in the shadows a Roy Mustang look-alike was following her.

Noticing that the "palm tree" had left, Greed had followed Ari carefully, making sure not to be seen or heard.

Once she entered her home and attended to the few chores that required her immediate attention, Ari returned to the kitchen, her gun still in its holster on the back of her belt. It was unusual for her to keep it there while at home, along with the few throwing knives she had inherited from her former commanding officer, the late Brigadier General Hughes, the only reason she had kept them there was because she felt as if she was being followed. When she looked at the doorway she saw someone standing there, she recognized the person as Roy Mustang, but she knew better than to trust appearances. "Who are you?" She asked her voice holding suspicion.

"I'm your commanding officer, that's who. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." The person answered. "After all, it's not that safe to walk home at night alone, Major."

"If you were my commanding officer, then you wouldn't be in my kitchen, you would've knocked on my front door." Ari challenged reaching for her gun. "And he doesn't address me that way. He always addresses me as Leroux, never by my rank."

"My mistake, how terribly foolish of me," The person standing in front of Ari then changed into someone very different, thin with long hair that somewhat resembled the leaves of a palm tree. "All I need to know is where the Elric brothers are, and you'll be left unharmed."

"Why would I know that?" Ari asked aiming her gun at the person standing in front of her, trying hard not to show her fear. "I'm a simple secretary."

"Simple secretary, you say? That's not what I was told. I was told you're a state alchemist," Envy explained taking a step closer to Ari. "Now I really don't want to hurt you, so tell me where the Fullmetal brat is!"

"Like I'd tell you where he is, freak!" Ari snapped before shooting Envy several times.

Falling back slightly, Envy smirked, standing straight as he healed. "Oh that gun is quite useless against me. I guess I forgot to tell you that." With a quick movement, Envy kicked Ari in the side, causing the woman to fall to her knees.

Even though she had the wind knocked out of her and had fallen to her knees, Ari got back up again. "I'm not going down that easily." Even though she was in pain where she had been kicked, Ari still managed to knock over the box she kept on the kitchen counter near her that held the throwing knives she had been left by Hughes. Grabbing a few, she coated them in ice and flung them at Envy, but even though she had managed to hit vital areas, Envy still seemed to be unaffected.

Grabbing Ari by the wrist, Envy simply kneed her roughly in the stomach before taking the gun that had been dropped on the floor and hitting the woman roughly with it to knock her unconscious. Picking up the unconscious woman, Envy quickly hurried out of the house.

Unfortunately for Envy, Greed caught up before he had gotten too far. "What're you doing to the poor girl there, Abomination?" He asked. "She doesn't belong to you."

"I have orders to find the location of Fullmetal and his tin can. And this girl here knows exactly where they are." Envy answered, still holding Ari over his shoulder. "Why are you concerned? It's not like she belongs to you either."

"Same reason as you, only I'm just out for myself." Greed laughed making sure to stay in Envy's way. "Besides, you should know by now that I'm obsessed with things that don't belong to me."

"This girl definitely isn't yours, Greed, she belongs to the Flame." Envy explained with a laugh.

As she awoke, Ari realized she wasn't home, as well as the fact something was lurking in the darkness of the room she was in. Unfortunately, Ari hadn't even had a chance to try to figure out what had happened before a tall man wearing a vest with a fur collar loomed in close. Gasping with shock, she tried to stand up only to find herself falling over, the chair she had woken in clattering to the floor as well with her since her wrists were bound to the arms. Opening her mouth to scream, the man covered her mouth with his hand.

"Now, now, miss Ice Alchemist. I'm not going to hurt you; I just have a few questions for you." He explained with a grin. "But first I'll introduce myself. I'm Greed, a homunculus, I'm sure you've heard of us from those reports you read."

"If you mean Edward Elric's report about Lab 5…" Ari started with a glare. Ed's drawings were crude, but they were close enough that Ari could make out that he was one of the ones drawn. "What do you want with me? And where am I?"

"I just want to explain a little about myself along with trying to lure that runt here. It seems the Fullmetal boy cares enough about you to stay with you instead of in the military dorms." Greed explained having found out about the few times Edward and Alphonse had stayed at Ari's house.

"Only because Edward couldn't stand the hospital and wanted access to my personal library of books on alchemy." Ari answered sharply. "Besides, you're the man I met in the bar…the one who knew I was the Ice Alchemist even though not many people know me. Now tell me where I am!"

"Relax; you're still in Central, just in an abandoned warehouse." Greed sighed. "Though someone's bound to realize you're missing by now."

"Only that damned Colonel, and only because he wants me to do his paperwork." Ari sighed. "Other than that, he doesn't care."

"I see it differently from you; to him you're a precious posession. I'm greedy as hell, and obsessed with things that don't belong to me. Which include you," Greed explained.

"I belong to no one! I am not a posession to be fought over!" Ari snapped sharply before grimacing as she fell once more while trying to stand. "Untie me! I'm of no use to you."

"Maybe later, for now, go back to sleep." Greed chuckled putting a cloth over Ari's nose and mouth. "I might let them have you for a decent ransom later."

At first she had tried to struggle against the strong grip of the homunculus, but as she had breathed in enough of the chemical that had been placed on the cloth, she soon stopped struggling as she fell asleep, the chloroform taking effect.


	8. Rescue

-1~Rescue~

Meanwhile, the office was a flurry of activity as morning had arrived and Ari was nowhere to be found to organize it. Everyone had seemingly become complacent with having Ari around to help with keeping everything organized and finished on time. When the ransom call came in, though, everything came to a crashing halt as Roy gave Fuery a silent nod to have the call traced, and the rest simply knew that a rescue mission was going to occur. "So... You have my secretary as your hostage, do you?" Roy calmly questioned trying to stall long enough for the trace to be successful. "Why, if I may be so bold as to ask, did you take her?"

** "She's a state alchemist, and a close friend of the Fullmetal Alchemist."** Greed answered. **"She's unharmed and will remain so, as long as I get 100,000 cenz and a meeting with the Fullmetal."**

"Very well, but can I ask your name?" Roy asked before getting a concerned look from Havoc and Hawkeye.

"Colonel, you know Leroux wouldn't want you to just hand over a ransom like that..." Havoc started.

"And negotiating isn't allowed, you know how the higher-ups feel about that." Hawkeye finished.

** "I'm not inclined to give you a name, just drop the money and a time and place of meeting with Fullmetal at the ruins of Lab 5."** Greed answered stiffly. **"Just bring the money and arrange the meeting with Fullmetal, this is my last communication. If you fail to bring the ransom by sundown, your secretary won't be unharmed."**

"Breda, go to Leroux's house, go make sure she's not there." Roy ordered quietly before returning his attention to the phone call. "I would like to know the condition of my secretary."

** "She's taking a bit of a nap right now, she really didn't sleep well last night."** Greed explained calmly with a shrug. **"It would be mean to wake her up now."**

"I don't care. Just put her on the line!" Roy demanded slamming his fist on his desk. "I demand to speak to her now, or the ransom won't be guaranteed."

** "Sheesh, fine, you don't have to be so pushy about it. I'll let her speak and then that's it." **Greed explained before realizing that the line had probably been traced.**"Say hello to your commander."**

Having been forcibly roused from her chloroform-induced slumber, Ari noticed that the homunculus that had taken her hostage was holding the phone out to her. **"Colonel Mustang!"** She cried out into the phone. Before she could say anything else one of the lackeys of the homunculus gagged her.

"We don't need her blabbing away now." Dorochet commented.

** "Now you have your proof that she's just fine."** Greed commented before hanging up the phone.

After being hung up on, Roy furiously flung the receiver back on the main part of the phone. "Dammit!" He cursed, angry at himself for not being able to protect Ari from danger. "Fuery, were you able to ascertain where the call came from? Breda since you're back I assume the major wasn't at her house."

"Sir, there were signs of a struggle at her house but that's all." Breda answered.

"Yes, sir, the trace was successful... The thing is that the call came from a military warehouse that's presently unused near the ruins of Lab 5..." Fuery answered.

"So they're hiding right under our noses, eh? Well, the only thing we can do is to rescue Ari, especially since right now she's the only one that knows where Fullmetal is. No word of this to him if he calls in, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Mustang's subordinates answered in unison.

"Falman, since I haven't assigned you to a task yet, you're in charge of getting us the blueprints to the warehouse. We'll need it so we can rescue Leroux." Roy Mustang instructed. "Hawkeye, you'll be our sniper backup, just where you'll be I'm not sure yet. Havoc, you'll be my backup, and if something happens that I have to hang back, you'll be in charge of getting Ari out of there."

"Yes, sir." Havoc answered, understanding why he was chosen to get Ari out if the need arose.

* * *

"From the track record of Roy Mustang, he won't be delivering the ransom, so therefore he's going to try rescuing his secretary. He probably traced the call too." Martel, a young woman with blonde hair and an athletic figure, explained to Greed. "So what are we going to do about it?"

"We'll let them have her back. They probably wouldn't have notified Fullmetal anyways." Greed answered. "But not without a fight. We'll give them a bit of a fight, but I have an idea of how to get closer to Fullmetal. Taranis, come here."

The youngest member of the group, seemingly a 12 year old boy with a body that appeared rather weak and sickly, stepped forward from being in the shadows. "Yes?" The boy, who wore clothes that were definitely too large for him, answered.

"I have something fun for you to do. Slip into the hospital and disguise yourself as a patient. Our little ice princess here, will be a patient there soon." Greed explained with a smirk. "Get close to her during her stay at the hospital, we'll go from there. This is something only you can do, kid."

Looking to the unconscious woman bound to the chair, Taranis shrugged. "Whatever."

"Now get going before any of those military dogs catch you." Greed instructed. "It's better that you not be known. Oh, and remember, her name is Ari Leroux. I won't be able to help you if you get caught, you'll be on your own for a while."

Nodding, the boy took off, escaping out a back door, Taranis hurried off towards the hospital that military officers were normally taken to, hoping not to get caught.

* * *

A few hours after the call, Mustang had formed a small rescue party, and knew that he had to keep things quiet in order to rescue Ari safely. Reminding everyone of the plan once more, he waited for the designated time that he was supposed to leave the money and note by the ruins of Lab 5 before nodding to Riza to go to the position they had discussed after obtaining the blueprints to the warehouse. Once she gave the signal that she had taken her position successfully, Roy looked to the tall blonde at his side. "You ready to rescue the princess?" He joked. "I'll be glad to have her back, especially since she keeps the office running smoothly."

"Ready as ever. Our little ice princess is good for morale, too." Havoc laughed tossing his cigarette aside. "Especially since she's become quite fiery in temper and I wouldn't mind asking her on a date."

"You know we're going to pay for our comments if she or Hawkeye ever find out." Roy laughed as he pulled on his gloves, nodding to Havoc to kick in the door. "Besides, I know more about her than you do. She's definitely too good for you."

"Oh really now?" Havoc asked as he kicked the door open, keeping his gun out waiting to see what would happen with the group of chimeras that were currently hanging out in the warehouse. He could already see a small group in the center of the large open space that was the room, and between them he could just make out a chair.

"All right, anyone that doesn't want to be fried to a crisp, get out now. I don't care about any of you lowlifes, just my secretary." Mustang announced clearly as he walked into the building. "You have five minutes to clear out before I start snapping my fingers."

"We're leaving anyways." Came a calm voice from the group in the center of the warehouse. The man who had spoken turned around with a huge grin, and faced the two who had just burst in without fear. "I figured you would want your secretary back, so here she is. I did nothing to harm her, she's just sleeping." The man was tall, had slicked back black hair, and wore a vest with fur trim over a black tank top. With a quick motion he nodded to everyone around him before stepping back, revealing his hostage.

Still tied to the chair, Ari was mostly oblivious to the events going on around her. She was still extremely sleepy, and had only awoken partially as she had heard Mustang's voice through her dreamless sleep. Her head still felt so heavy she couldn't even think of trying to lift it, but she still tried her hardest to understand what was going on around her.

"I did remove these. You can have them back, though, along with your secretary, as long as you let everyone here including myself leave without incident." Greed offered with a smirk, throwing them at Mustang before nodding to his associates, rushing towards the back door, even as Havoc started firing at the culprits.

Grimacing, Roy hurriedly targeted an explosion in front of them after catching the bracelets, but unfortunately, was too late, the mysterious man and his associates had already escaped. "Don't bother chasing after them. We have Leroux…" Walking up to the young woman tied to the chair, he realized her eyes were barely open but her breathing wasn't shaky in the slightest. "She seems okay…"

"Well that didn't go as planned." Havoc grumbled. "But you're right, we got Leroux back and she seems fine. But what do you think they did to her?"

"I don't want to think about what they might have done to her." Roy answered as he used a pocket knife to release his secretary who was just starting to mumble incoherently as if she was waking up.

As soon as the ropes had been removed, Ari had tried to stand, even though she was still partially in a daze, only her body -- which was still slightly limp -- didn't agree, and she fell forward, right into Roy Mustang who had been ready to catch her. Unfortunately, she had forgotten about the injury to her side, which was now aching terribly as she started to become more and more aware of what was going on around her.

"Come on," Mustang offered softly as he helped Ari to stand. "Let's get you out of here and to a hospital to be checked out…" And with that Mustang wrapped an arm around Ari's waist, pulling her arm over his shoulders so that she was able to walk out of the warehouse. "You're safe now, Arielle."

"How many times…have I told you to call me Ari?" Ari asked, still slightly in a daze.


End file.
